POLOKWANE – The highlight of Ayanda Maphosa’s transitioning journey is not the changes that he has had to encounter, but finally becoming the man he has always wished to be.
The 28-year-old Polokwane resident is a father to two boys, an LGBTQAI+ activist, photographer and graphic designer and said his journey to becoming a man was a roller-coaster.
“Before becoming him, I tried so hard to be a black masculine lesbian thinking it would help me forget that I am a woman. I was heavily depressed, toxic and an emotionally abusive person because I didn’t know what to do about how I felt and who I am,” he told the Polokwane Observer.
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In discovering who he was, Ayanda said he always felt different and it was only in 2018 that he found a term that described how he felt which was transgender.
“After researching about transgender people, I then made the decision to undergo medical treatment in 2018.”
Due to the shortage of hormone treatment in the country, getting access to the treatment was one of the major obstacles that Ayanda had to face together with finding employement and access to education as his ID still misgendered him as a female.
He added that dating is a challenge as many people still don’t know how to treat transgenders.
Ayanda has had all necessary surgeries as he said transitioning is a lifetime journey.
Reflecting on his family’s reaction to him being transgender, Ayanda said both his family and friends had a hard time accepting his decision.
“It got to a point where we didn’t speak or see each other for two years, but they have been willing to learn and understand the man I have become and have even done research about transgender people.”
